David, A vocab list is a very smart way to learn Chinese. That is how my mom taught me ever since I was little. A nice resource that is out there to keep track of your progress is the Chinese Character Test (http://www.clavisinica.com/character-test-applet.html). This lets you know how you are doing...

College courses are such a great way to learn Chinese. They give you the immersion and the step-by-step instructions needed to successfully learn and retain the language. While I was taking Chinese, I also tried to supplement my lessons with more. I read books in Chinese, listened to the radio in Ch...